


Choose me, Not them

by LunarRin



Category: Twisted-Wonderland (Video Game)
Genre: Ace betrayal theory, Angst, Everyone other than the main trio only really cameos or is mentioned, F/M, Hurt No Comfort, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:28:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26656642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunarRin/pseuds/LunarRin
Summary: Somewhere deep down, you probably already know what you would see.But you can’t just leave it up to a gut feeling, can you?You have to confirm your suspicions, no matter the pain.Even if it means Ace would become your enemy.
Relationships: Ace Trappola/Reader
Comments: 7
Kudos: 85





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Happy late birthday Ace! Sorry for being late!
> 
> Important Notes!  
> This is based on the Ace betrayal theory, Ace being a traitor is in no way canon to the plotline of Twisted Wonderland(at least at this moment of time)!  
> The Unique Magic I gave Ace in this fic isn't canon and is just my interpretation of what it could be.  
> The Reader's gender is left unknown.
> 
> Special Thanks to all my beta readers: [Arisa](https://archiveofourown.org/users/silveryyy), [Momo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/OkaSakura), Mofu, lol_leia, and Renren! Thank you for all your hard work!!!  
> I hope you enjoy it!

You feel a sharp pain run down your leg as you trip over the root of a rose bush and you clumsily hit the ground, unable to stop yourself. For a moment you lay there, wondering if this was your punishment for trying to run through the Heartslabyul gardens. You sigh as you sit up and examine the cut on your leg left behind from the sharp thorns of the bush. It isn't too bad, but it is relatively wide, and a simple paper cut bandage wouldn't be enough to cover the cut. You ponder on whether or not you should just wipe the blood that is now threatening to run down your leg off... would your saliva help wipe it away, or just make things worse? You look to your tie and back to your cut- it would have to do as a makeshift bandage for now. You wrap the fabric around the cut, tying it to keep it in place, before standing up and taking a few paces. You wince a little as you take each step, but, eh, you've been through worse, considering all the overblot incidents you’ve had to deal with. 

You're internally thankful that it hasn't rained recently like it usually does during this season, or you'd have to deal with damp and muddy clothes as well. You continue your journey through the gardens intending to reach the dorms when you hear a familiar voice,

"Yo~ Prefect! Is that you?"

What terrible luck- it's the person you wanted to avoid the most at the moment, and the reason why you intended to visit the Heartslabyul dorms today.

"Hey! Prefect! Don't ignore me!" Ace calls out, irritation beginning to seep into his tone. You watch as he shoves his phone into his pocket and sets down a paint bucket and brush, before making his way over to you. You wonder what you should do- should you make an excuse and try to get away from him? Or should you entertain him for a bit? Either way, you need to keep him away from his room, which is the whole reason why you chose to come to Heartslabyul today- because you knew he had rose painting duties while Deuce had supplementary classes. You had even bribed Grim with tuna cans for him to stay at Ramshackle dorm for the day. 

(Speaking of classes, you felt bad for Deuce, who was only one mark away from passing the quiz and avoiding supplementary classes. However, since the topic was about advanced level magic- to be specific, memory alteration magic- the whole class, for the most part, struggled to pass the _theory_ portion. From the basics on what you could alter or remove, to the complications regarding continued use on an individual leading to risks like a distorted sense of time or reality- it was really all just a pain to learn. You yourself had scored average, but you definitely remember the intense relief you felt, knowing that it was something only 4th years really learn how to do depending on their interests. Ugh, you're suddenly reminded of Ace's cocky grin as he showed you and Deuce his amazing mark. That's the pros of having an older sibling who once studied here, you suppose.)

"Prefect, Come on! I'm really getting annoyed at this now!" Ace flicks your forehead with a scowl on his face. _Shit_. You've spent so much time thinking about class and what you should do that you didn't even do anything!

"Ouch! S-sorry, sorry! I was just shocked you were painting roses alone, I thought Deuce would be with you." You fib as fast as you can, rubbing your forehead where he flicked you. Ace's eyes narrow for some reason and his scowl worsens. Did you say something wrong? What the hell?! Why do all your plans just fall apart so fast?!

"...We're not a set you know, stop treating us like one. Or would you rather see Deuce here instead of me? How hurtful Prefect~ I just wanted to help, you know." Ace's tone starts off cold, before morphing into that teasing tone he often enjoys using. It was painful, how well and easily he played with your heart and mind. He would spout lies with serious tones, baiting you into traps and laugh at your mistakes afterwards. Yet, perhaps his voice was one of his most powerful weapons; he had no filter, he was blunt and would selfishly ignore the mood to say whatever he wanted. He had no fear of calling out others on their mistakes, weaknesses, and wrongdoings. He, who was supposed to be a lackey card soldier, ended up leading a revolution against the Queen of Hearts and became the leading force and factor in Riddle's redemption and change. The glorious groom who opened the ghost bride's eyes to true love. That must be why, why you were drawn to him. _So why? Why must you doubt him?_

"Eh? Help me?" You're suddenly drawn to the latter part of his line. Help you? You don't recall asking for his help for anything.

"Dummy, you think I can't see you trying to bandage your leg with your tie?" He answers with a smirk pointing to your haphazard bandage, "What even happened? How did you cut your leg? Did Grim scratch you or something?" He inquires as he unwraps the tie from around your leg to examine the wound, without even asking you if he could. Typical Ace. _Always doing whatever he wanted, not caring if it were right or wrong._

"I tripped and cut it on a rose bush." You reply immediately, watching as Ace frowns upon seeing how big the cut was.

"Ugh, you gotta be more careful, Prefect... Now I have to help you treat it." Ace groans before rewrapping the tie around the cut.

"Huh?! I never asked you to hel-!" You protest, but Ace only slyly smiles before covering your mouth.

"Sshh... Don't be so loud, someone will hear you. Heh, it's a good thing I was here. Don't worry, your well being comes before painting the roses! Let's head to the infirmary," he grins as he picks you up, totally ignoring your protest. _Of course- he is just using you as an excuse to skip out on his dorm duties._ On another note though, you couldn't go to the infirmary now! That would mean heading further away from the Heartslabyul dorm which would have made your journey here and plan a waste!

"U-uh! I d-don't wanna go to the infirmary! I already see the nurse enough times! I don't want to bother her again!" You try to object as you flail about in Ace's arms, who is beginning to struggle to keep his hold on you.

"Ah, stop squirming! I get it, I get it! You don't wanna go there, but we can't just leave that cut untreated!" Ace complains as he regains his hold on you, "So? What do you wanna do if you're not going to the infirmary? Choose something that takes up time." He sighs, waiting for your opinion as he impatiently taps his foot on the ground. Suddenly, you realize what an opportunity this could be- if only you could somehow convince Ace to let you rest in his room and then get him out of it.

"Um, maybe we can use the first aid kit? Oh... But if you leave me here, someone will probably help me first since you're so helpless anyways." You suggest with a pensive frown as you attack Ace's ego, knowing that he'll be more likely to listen to your suggestion if you challenge his ability to carry it out. As you expected, Ace frowns upon hearing your remark,

"Hah? You're calling ME helpless? You're the one who tripped and injured yourself! Ugh, this is too much work, just bandage yourself." Ace argues back while setting you down, clearly irritated with you.

"Then I guess you'll have to go back to painting roses, and you won't have an excuse as to why you're behind schedule..." You playfully respond. You watch Ace grit his teeth in irritation as he begins to weigh the pros and cons of helping you; muttering to himself as he runs a hand through his hair before looking back at you with a scowl. Without another word, he picks you up again before walking towards the dorm.

"Where are we going?" You innocently ask, pretending as if you haven’t manipulated Ace into doing what you wanted. Ace doesn't even look at you when he responds,

"To my room, you can wait there while I go get the first aid kit."

"Scared that someone else would find and help me first?"

"Shut up."

_Well, it's not like he got much painting done anyways._

After a bit of walking, the two of you soon reach Ace's room and upon entering, Ace sets you down on his bed with a sigh.

"Just stay here and don't cause any trouble okay? I'll be right back with the first aid kit." He instructs. It's clear to see that he is still irritated over your insult.

"Alright, but what about your roommates? What if they come back before you?" You ask because you definitely do _not_ want to get caught looking through Ace's stuff by any of his roommates. Ace glances over at you, confusion on his face as to why you care about his roommates, but nevertheless, he answers.

"Huh? Why do you care? They all have their own dorm duties to deal with for the day. They're more scared of Riddle than me, so they probably wouldn't skip out on their duties. You don't have to worry about them coming back here," he reassures you, "Though you've been awfully curious about what others are doing today. You haven't been asking about how I've been doing at all, I feel hurt~" He feigns being offended, but you can clearly hear his playful tone.

"Alright, how have you been doing Ace? What have you been up to?" You ask, completely serious, of course at first glance it's nothing but small talk. However, in reality, you want answers, answers to your suspicions, some sort of conclusion.

"I've been pretty good! Been avoiding losing my head lately, too!" He smiles carelessly as he puts his hands on his hips. "Ah, but Grim and you keep on dragging me into all sorts of problems lately, you know?" He complains with a shrug.

"Huh? You’re one to talk! Skipping out on your dorm duties and fights with Deuce have got us in our fair share of trouble too!" You retort in annoyance. “Speaking of dorm duties, you’re skipping out on them again by using me... And you didn't even get much done, it seems. Were you on your phone the _whole_ time? Maybe I should tell Riddle about how you've been slacking on painting the roses again?" 

Ace seems to not hear you for a second, seemingly distracted by something else. You tug on his sleeve to catch his attention, "Hey, Ace, did you not hear me? Should I tell Riddle about how you're using me as an excuse to slack off in painting the roses?" This time you seem to catch his attention, as he immediately responds.

"Eeeh? C'mon Prefect, I'm helping you out because I'm your friend, not because I want to get away from painting roses," he states, looking offended that you've accused him of using you, "Anyways, Dorm Leader is in a meeting right now so you wouldn't be able to tell him anyways until after. By then I would have finished my duties so he wouldn't care too much," he proclaims with a grin. 

"Anyways, I better go get that first aid kit for ya. Hang in there, I'll be back soon~" He says before turning to leave. You watch him head to the door, yet before he leaves he turns to glance at you with a smirk,

"Don't get into any trouble while I'm gone."

After he closes the door, you listen to his footsteps walking away and after a minute, you get up and silently walk over to Ace's desk and begin searching through its contents. His drawer is neater than it was two weeks ago, with most of the junk sheets, papers and wrappers having been disposed of. At least it's easier to look through now. You reach the one small locked drawer, pulling out hair pins from your hair, you begin to pick the lock; internally glad that Ruggie taught you how to pick locks all those days ago. After successfully lockpicking it, you open up a small drawer and peek inside. 

Yep, his candy and snack stash is still there, ranging from sour lemon candies to sweet strawberry lollipops. You remember how from time to time he would offer you different candies to cheer you up, they were all from this stash. Looking at it all, there are several candies you don't like- you don't really know why you just dislike them. Maybe it's something with their flavours, but… Ace probably isn't that picky. However, you’re not searching to make commentaries on Ace's candy preference- instead, you stick your hand into the drawer and brush away the candies from the back of the drawer. You try to fiddle with the back of it, looking for some opening to grasp at, yet you find none. _So it really is some sort of magic barrier keeping the opening shut and hidden._

The last time you had searched through Ace's stuff, you’d found it odd that this small locked compartment contained only candy and snacks, and upon further inspection, you noticed that the volume of the drawer didn't match up with what the width of the table suggests. You'd spent days wondering if there was more to that drawer than what meets the eye, as you were wary of involving anyone else in this. Finally, you'd decided that you weren't getting anywhere and booked a VIP visit with Azul; who was more than happy to receive a request from you. You had honestly been nervous the days leading up to your booked visit, but decided to make a plan to best get what you want and keep Azul relatively in the dark. 

_When the day came, you were greeted by Jade and Floyd, who led you to Azul's VIP room within the Mostro Lounge and thankfully took your thick winter coat off your hands. There, Azul waited for you with a smile on his face. Luckily, Azul had become a bit fairer with his deals after his overblot incident and was definitely more generous to you as well, so you didn't have to fear getting roped into some outrageous deal. You discussed with him how you were having difficulties understanding illusion and binding magic, especially concerning secret doors and passageways._

_He listened to your troubles and questions before offering his knowledge as well as a solution. “The easiest solution to your problem would be to use an item that has been imbued with the magic of the caster as the binding will be tricked into believing you are the original caster and allow you access." He informed you with a polite smile, giving you a moment to jot down some notes before speaking again. "Oh, but I'm quite curious you see, I don't believe you would simply come to me for tutoring, Prefect. You came to me because there is a place or something that you wish to access, no? Now, I'll be happy to help you, for a price, and of course, I would need to know more in order to better help you, don't I?" He continued, that polite businessman smile still on his face._

_He was aware that you had found something suspicious and wanted in on the secret. However, you couldn't let him know, for both yours and Ace's sake. Luckily, you'd planned for this, reaching into your bag, you pulled out a stack of papers, and flipped to the bookmarked page before placing it on the table._

_"Page 127 paragraph 1 of the clause about confidentiality continuum, ‘The privacy of the individual is viewed as of utmost importance and respect’. I would greatly appreciate it if you refrain from prying any more as this pertains to very private and personal matters." You stated with confidence plastered on your face. You watched Azul's smile shook as if surprised you would try to use his words against him, yet before he could open his mouth to refute, you continued, "Besides… it would be a shame, don't you think, if Crowley finds out about your new business collaboration plan again? Especially after you've tried so hard to keep it a secret from him..." You sighed with a shrug as you watched his eyes widened. He quickly adjusted his glasses and put on a strained smile._

_"Blackmailing me won't get you very far, Prefect. What a shame, I thought we were above this type of behaviour. In any case, how did you even find out about the lounge's plans?" He continued to be polite with you, but even so, you were sure that he was wracking his brain for possible answers to how you found out about his plans._

_"Floyd told me!" You happily chirped. Azul seemed to deflate for a moment and sighed. He muttered something under his breath but apart from him mentioning Floyd’s name, you weren't able to discern what he said. You could only assume that he was cursing Floyd's volatile nature. You were glad that you were on quite friendly terms with Floyd; catching him in the right moods and being curious about the Mostro Lounge made him all the most willing to tell you secrets. You felt bad for throwing him under the bus, but you didn't actually coerce him into telling you anything; he just excitedly told you one day out of the blue while you two discussed foods that you wanted to try and besides, it's not like he would care too much._

_"Well, let's discuss business now, shall we? You give me the item required to bypass those bindings and I-" You slammed another stack of papers down on the table, making Azul jump, "-Will give you this. Oh, and as thanks for the information, and also an apology for blackmailing you, I'll give you a quarter of it right now." You finished with a confident smile. Oh, but of course, the quarter you gave him was mainly to prove the validity and appeal of the rest of the papers. You watched Azul adjust his glasses as he picked up the papers and quickly skimmed through them._

_"These are...?"_

_"Recipes of popular and trendy culinary from my original world. I've described them in detail here so that for any food item that you can't directly replace, you can at least find a suitable replacement. After all, won't some new dishes on the menu attract more customers for your new business collaboration?" You explained as Azul continued to read over the contents of the recipes. After a minute, he looked back up at you with a smile and set down the papers._

_"Then I will be testing out some of these dishes this week. If they do well, consider it a deal. Otherwise, I will be taking something else in exchange, alright? Of course, this means that we will be signing the deal next week after the results come in," he informed you as he placed the sheets away for safekeeping. You responded with a nod and was about to get up and leave when he added on-_

_"I must say, I'm quite impressed with the way you handled things today, Prefect. Perhaps I should hire you to aid me in contract dealing... Oh don't worry, Prefect, it was merely a jest, but I would welcome you onto the team with open arms if you ever require some more madol in your pocket. Farewell, for now, Prefect." He said as he bid you farewell. After leaving the room, you mentally sighed in relief. You're almost there- as long as those dishes you gave him are a success, you'll be one step closer to finding out the truth._

_A week had passed, and the dishes you’d recommended to Azul had become quite the success. As per part of the deal, you’d signed the contract and gave Azul the rest of the recipes you spent several nights writing up in exchange for a small pendant hung on a chain necklace. Apparently, you had to somehow obtain or catch some of the caster's magic with the pendant in order for it to work. Luckily for you, Grim and Ace get into constant squabbles with each other, so you had multiple opportunities to catch a bit of his magic. Eventually, you’d done so at the expense of taking a hit for Grim, stopping the fight immediately and earning a scolding from Ace, Grim, and Deuce for being so reckless in what they’d thought was you trying to stop them from fighting._

You take out the pendant that Azul has given you, and you open it beside the back of the drawer. To your amazement, a magic circle appears on the back of the drawer in response to the wind magic captured within the pendant, before disappearing along with the illusion. What’s left is a small hatch, which you open with ease and peek through the opening to see what was inside.

You've done all this work, all this preparation, all in order to see what Ace is hiding. From the moment you started to notice how he would either disappear from your group to him being distracted every time there was a dorm leader meeting- it was just one too many weird coincidences that didn't add up. Even today he seemed distracted and there happened to be a last-minute dorm leader meeting today too; you even saw Riddle scrambled to get there this morning, not even having the time to inform the rest of his dorm of the reason for his absence.

Somewhere deep down, you probably already know what you would see.

But you can’t just leave it up to a gut feeling, can you?

You have to confirm your suspicions, no matter the pain.

Even if it means Ace would become your enemy.

Maybe… maybe you could convince him to stop.

Maybe you could "save" him as you did with the other dorm leaders.

Maybe this could end happily.

You bitterly laugh as you see what's hidden in the compartment.

Listening bugs, GPS trackers, a few pens which, you can easily guess, aren't just any normal pens, and other equipment and materials that a typical student would have no reason to have.

You wonder what Deuce would say if he ever found out about Ace's secret. What would Deuce do? ...You already know the answer- he would confront Ace right away. Surely, just like that, their relationship would crumble.

It would be better to keep quiet. To just go back to your everyday life like you found nothing, act like normal, just like Ace does.

_Ahh... you shouldn't have done this._

_It would have been better if you had remained ignorant._

After all, curiosity killed the cat.

_Maybe you misinterpreted what you saw._

You check your phone and open up an app you've recently downloaded as you're reminded about all the hard work you've regretfully put into this operation. 

You’d made a bet with Idia, riling him up a bit before you’d posed the idea- Idia got to choose the game and if you won, Idia would make you one GPS trackers. Well- in reality, he would just give you an old one Ortho used to have, but it doesn't really matter does it? If you lost, you would have to wait outside a shop in town and make sure to get the limited edition copy of a new game he wanted. 

Idia had made the mistake of choosing a rhythm game, and with all your rhythm game skills, you managed to beat him by one perfect hit and he’d begrudgingly handed you the GPS tracker. You felt bad so you still surprised him with the limited edition game, catching him off guard, but you were pleasantly gifted with the sight of him making a nervous but thankful smile- it really made up for the damage the wind did to your hair that morning you’d spent waiting to buy the game. You shiver as you remember the amount of orange and yellow leaves that had decorated your hair that day.

You quickly check your watch; surprisingly, only a few minutes have passed since Ace had left so you should be okay. You glance at the app,

Ace is just down the hallway and making his way back to his room.

_What?!_

You scramble to take a picture of what you've found, before moving the pendant away from the secret compartment as the magic circle once again flashes and the illusion of the back of a drawer returns. You push the candy back into an even pile and close the drawer before locking it again. Quickly, you scurry your way back to the bed, sit down and open a different app on your phone to make it seem like you were playing a game this whole time.

"Oi~ Prefect! I'm coming in!" You hear him call out cheerfully as he opens the door with a smug smile on his face.

"Oh hey, that was fast." You comment with a smile as you look up from your phone.

"You're the one who suggested that I was slow. I'm just proving you wrong, y'know," he reminds you with a look of mild irritation as he holds up the first aid kit, as proof he got what he left for before walking over to you. Kneeling in front of you, he gently takes your wounded leg and unwraps the tie covering your wound. Setting it aside, he disinfects the cut and the area around it, earning a wince from you. Upon noticing you wince, he takes your hand and squeezes it. "Hey don't worry, I'm here for ya, I'm not gonna mess up or anything," he says with a reassuring grin before taking the bandage roll and wrapping it carefully around the cut. After finishing, he places the supplies back into the first aid kit. "Doneee~!" He proclaims before glancing at your phone, "What game are you playing?" He questions.

"Thank you, Ace. I'm playing that new RPG right now." You quickly reply, nearly dropping your phone- his sudden question had startled you, but you’re doing your best to keep calm.

"Ooh that one! I play it too, we should team up sometime!" He suggests as he pulls out his phone and shows you how he also has the app.

"Yeah sure, I've just been teaming up with Idia so far, so another person to team up with would be great." You smile back at him, but his mood seems to drop for a moment. Was your smile strained, or something? Suddenly, you're on alert again, worried that Ace may have noticed something amidst. You do your best not to fidget as you quickly try to change the topic, "A-anyways, shouldn't you be getting back to painting the roses? They won't paint themselves," You joke, but inside, you really, really desperately want to get away from Ace right now; collect your thoughts and calm down.

"Did I do something wrong, Prefect?" He asks with a look of worry on his face, "I didn't do something to make ya mad, did I?"

"H-huh? What makes you think that?" You stutter, taken back by his sudden concern.

"You've been talking about and hanging out with everyone else instead of me, and you seem like you don't wanna be near me recently. If I did something to make you upset... Sorry, I didn't mean to, please don't avoid me." He says as he averts his eyes from you, his cheeks tinted slightly pink from embarrassment probably. You are shocked- definitely did not expect him to think that he has made you upset, but this is better than him suspecting you.

"...Then make it up to me." You say, _make up for your betrayal_. You watch his eyes widen a bit at your response before he does his signature smirk.

"Of course, _Your majesty~_ " He says gleefully, a mischievous glint in his eyes before he leans closer to you as your cheeks begin to flush a deep red. "...Not now though~!" He laughs before moving away from you. His eyes linger on your expression before he turns to his desk and walks over. "Let me get something quickly first, I think you'll like it!"

You cover your face in embarrassment at being once again played by Ace while also to hide your anxiety at what he is doing.

_He's searching his desk._

_What if he finds out?_

You hold your breath as he rummages through his desk; he came back quicker than you expected so you weren't able to put everything back into place. He wouldn't notice, right? After all, this is the same Ace who would rather trick his seniors into revealing possible test questions than actually remember and study the lessons. _The same Ace who has been going behind everyone's back this whole time_. Your inner thoughts and concerns destroy any comfort your previous assumption brought you. Right, _a traitor_ stands in front of you, the one person you want to trust more than anything. He's a traitor to you, your friends, and the whole school essentially. Yet, there is a part of you that still doesn't want to believe it; you want to hang onto the hope that perhaps those _smiles_ , those _laughs_ , weren't _lies_.

"-fect"

"Prefect!"

You snap out of your thoughts to see Ace towering above you, a look of concern on his face as he waves his hand in front of your face to catch your attention.

"S-Sorry, I was lost in thought..." You reply as you avert your eyes and glance back to the bandaged cut on your leg. You can feel his stare bore down on you and for some reason, you feel a chill down your spine. Suddenly, he takes your hand and you almost jump in surprise as you turn to look at him.

"Here, you've been out of it all day. Maybe this can cheer you up!" He cheekily grins as he places a small wrapped candy in your hand. You look at the lemon candy on your hand; luckily, you quite like them. Though you have to admit that you like cherry ones the best, they remind you of a certain trickster in front of you. Though he never seems to offer you them, which you suppose makes sense considering that they were his favourite. Suddenly remembering the situation you were in you look back at him and blush after remembering the kind gesture he has done. 

"Thank you, ah, but where did you get the candy from? We didn't stop by Sam's shop before coming to your room," you ask with a smile, in reality, you already know he has a secret stash of candy from when you've searched his desk. Still, you are determined to at least make it seem like you're not the one who has looked through his things. You watch as Ace pauses and places his index finger in front of his lips as he playfully smirks.

"That's a secret~" He says in a sing-song tone as he brings his face closer to yours. You instinctively lean back only for him to teasingly poke your cheek. He lightly laughs when you frown and turn away from him. "Don't make that face, did you think I was going to do something~? Or are you upset that I won't tell you where my candy stash is?" He continues to tease you, that grin never leaving his face. You can help but feel relieved; this is the Ace you are used to seeing, the one you want to see. An Ace who enjoys teasing and tricking others, yet one that cares enough to worry about you. There isn't any need to worry- perhaps you have just misinterpreted what you've found. _There is no way Ace could be a traito-_

" _Ah... But you already know where it is, don't you?"_

Your thoughts are brought to a screeching stop, and suddenly the atmosphere becomes heavy and suffocating. You hesitantly turn to face him only to realize that he has trapped you between his arms as he leans down to meet your face. His easy smile betrays the sudden mood shift and-

-doesn't reach his eyes.

" _You found something you shouldn't have, didn't you, Prefect?"_

"What are you talking about Ace? You're scaring me." You respond as you try to back up, yet Ace holds your arm and keeps you in place. His smile remains plastered on his face like a mask, leaving you unable to read his true emotion.

"Ah! Sorry, I must have made a mistake." He loosens his grip momentarily; still, you don't let down your guard down and are unsurprised when he tightens his grip again, "...Did you really think I would fall for that?" He sneers. 

A thousand thoughts run through your head as you try to think of a way out of this situation. 

_He knows._

_He knows you found out about his secret_

"...How…?" You mumble as you stare into those taunting eyes. He pauses for a moment, as if assessing what he should do. Soon, he lets go of your arm and surprisingly moves back. He walks over to his desk, pulls out the chair before swinging his leg over the seat and sitting down as he rests his arms on the back rest.

"The candy; they weren't in the same place as last time I checked." He blankly responds as he stares at your shaking figure. He doesn't wait for your answer and almost immediately continues, "You're probably thinking that there is no way I would remember the placement of the candies, aren't you?" He says with a disappointed sigh. "I'm hurt, Prefect. I thought you knew or at least noticed how good I am at memorization, I'm quite perceptive too don't you think?" Ace says with a self satisfied smirk, this time, he stays silent after, as if waiting for your response.

_Run, run away from here, from him, while he has his guard down._

You think to yourself, yet some part of you felt like he would expect you to run, from the way you couldn't stop yourself from shaking, the tight grip you have on your clothes. If he expected you to run, then there is a low chance you would actually succeed if you tried. After all, he caught you snooping around his stuff, even after all that planning, you had still underestimated his abilities it seems. You don't want to resort to this, but you have no choice.

"I have evidence, Ace. Don't make me use it against you." You threaten; though you make sure to try to be as vague as possible. You see Ace's eyes narrow as he frowns.

"Here I was hoping we could resolve this differently. I suppose I also underestimated you too, Prefect. Though even if you have evidence, I just have to get rid of it. No big deal." Ace shrugs as he absently twirls his magic pen, "It's on your phone right? The ghost camera is too big to hide and other forms of recording are too hard to share and fragile." He speculates as he keeps his eyes on you.

"Let me go, or I'll send it to everyone." You warn as you slowly get off his bed tightly gripping your phone in your hand.

"You'll send it to everyone even if I let you go." He sighs, though he doesn't move from his seat. Instead, his eyes closely follow your movements.

"Better for you to delay than get ratted out right now." You sternly advise as you turn on your phone. You watch as he subtly smiles upon realizing something.

"You only got a picture of what was inside that drawer. You can't prove anything else really, only bring me under suspicion." The redhead points out as he eyes focus on your phone. You bite your lip; although the picture would surely bring up heavy suspicion, you didn't have any other concrete evidence for what he was doing or why.

You desperately try to strengthen your threat, adding on, "Even then...! There's no doubt that it'll ruin your plans; you'll have to find a way to worm yourself out of that situation and surely your relationships with others will suffer because of it. That's too much of a pain to deal with for you, isn't it?" Yet your frantic tone doesn't help.

Ace takes a moment to consider your threat, "You're right, even that would be too much of a pain for me, even if I can get out of it. So in the end, it really just further supports why I should take care of you and the evidence now, right?" He says as he stands up from his seat, you react immediately and press the send button right in front of him, his eyes widen.

_That’s it. That’ll be the end of your relationship with him, wouldn’t it?_

__

__

_...You didn’t even get to confess in the end._

However, your thoughts are interrupted by snickering that slowly morphs into laughter.

“Hahahaha! Nice try, Prefect. You really need to get more creative! Haha! Seriously! Man, I’m glad I asked for one of those signal jammers like the one Idia used during Star Sending.” He snorts, but of course, the signal jammer is nowhere in sight, so you couldn’t destroy it at this point in time. You glance at your phone to see an error message appear about how it couldn’t send the image. “Though you’re really being a pain you know that, Prefect? You didn’t even give me a chance before you assumed I was gonna do something bad and pressed the button. I’m getting annoyed and tired at all your attempts to expose me…” The traitor warns with an annoyed frown.

_What the hell?! How was he prepared for everything?!_

__

__

_Were you that easy to read?_

You almost stand there frozen in shock, still you quickly push down that dreaded feeling creeping into your mind.

You turn and run to the door.

_But Ace is faster,_

He lunges towards you and grabs your arm, you struggle to fight back against his grip.

“L-let go of me!” You scream in desperation for anyone, _anyone_ to hear your pleads. Ace pulls you towards him and you realize that if you don’t break free from his grasp now, you might never escape. It is in that moment that you remember a few self-defence and general techniques Deuce had taught you. After calming down a bit, you make a fist with your hand and yank your arm away with a twist, managing to get out of his grasp. However, he reacts just as quickly and grabs you only a few seconds after you manage to get away the first time. This time, you turn to face him and resort to opening the pendant around your neck, allowing all the wind magic you captured to fly out directly at Ace.

“?!” It was clear that your stunt had caught him off guard as he’s hit by his own wind magic and let’s go off your shoulders as he stumbles back in recoil, still, you know it won’t be enough, and so you lunge forward and throw a punch at him; aiming to disorient him further.

Only for him to easily swat your hand away.

“Haha… Hahaha! So that’s how it’s going to be! ...Is that Deuce’s technique you're trying to emulate? Your technique is still rusty…” He laughs as he grabs you by the collar. “Deuce’s punches… are more like this…!” The redhead proclaims before swings, aiming right at your face.

_Is this where you die?_

You shut your eyes and brace for impact-

-only for the punch to never come.

You open your eyes to see Ace’s first a centimetre away from your face and a cruel smile on his face.

And yet, let go of you and steps back. Only then do you realize a small cut on his face left from the wind magic that has begun to bleed.

With a wicked grin, he wipes the blood off his face with the back of his hand as he looks down on you.

_“This is the part where you try to run away again~”_

_“Let’s see how far you get.”_

“ _**Joker**_ ”

You feel a chill run down your spine as you turn to run. You don’t hear any steps from behind which meant Ace hasn’t moved from his spot, yet the moment you look up, you see Ace in front of you; in fact, it seems like the world has flipped like you hadn’t turned around in the first place. What was supposed to be a sprint to the door is brought to a screeching stop, you begin to stumble back in shock.

“Hmm? What are you doing, Prefect? You're supposed to be running away from me, not into my arms. Oh, but I suppose you did stop yourself before you did.” Ace grins with a shrug as he seems to savour the confused look on your face. You frantically look back again to see half of the room Ace last was standing in, the half of the room _he should be standing in right now_. You continue to look back and forth, though the only difference is that you no longer see where Ace is. The half of the room that had the door, the way out, is gone. Soon enough the windows would disappear in the time you spent fumbling around the room, lost in wonderland. 

“A-ah…”

You’re alone.

Lost in an ever-changing world of lies it seems. You watch as the walls seem to slowly close in on you. You shakily fall to your knees as you hug your shaking body, did the room get colder than before? You don’t know anymore, you just want to get out, out of the nightmare, to wake up tomorrow and have everything be okay, to forget.

You suddenly hear banging, as if someone is hitting something. “Prefect! Prefect! I’m coming in! Are you okay, Prefect?! Hang in there!” You hear the familiar voice of a certain spade marked friend. You look up to see _the door_ and it shakes as someone pounds away at it until it is knocked open. “Prefect!” You hear Deuce exclaims as his eyes land on your shivering form, arms open to catch and comfort you. You quickly get up and run to him as tears stream down your face. He catches you as you stumble into his arms and bury your face into his chest.

_Ah, was the door always this close?_

“...You’d rather run into Deuce arms instead of mine, right, Prefect? I guess it’s to be expected.”

Through your tear-filled eyes, you glance at who you were leaning on, only to find the blazer that Deuce always kept buttoned at the top was left open. The tight tie Deuce always wore was loosely done.

“It’s always you, Prefect. You’ve been a thorn in my side since the beginning… You’re the one who’s been going through my stuff and sticking your head into other people’s business. I have to end this at one point y’know.” Ace dryly warns as he wraps his arm around your waist to keep you trapped within his embrace while moving the other to grab his magic wand.

Yet, instead of trying to run away you move your hands to his collar and grip it tightly as you try to stifle your tears to no avail. 

_You have had enough._

“W-why… Why did you do all this…! Why did I do all of this?! If in the end, all I got is a broken bond… I- I wanted to trust you, Ace! I was such a fool… in the end, it was all lies wasn’t it? The world around me, like just then, was lies, but I never even noticed!” You scream as you look up to see his face. There is no smile on his face. He blankly looks down at you for a moment before tilting his head, his expression changes in a blink. You see the opposite of what you wanted to see. A mocking smile and eyes that only convey an emotion of "pity". 

"You thought I was being genuine?"

“I-I loved you, Ace! Of course, I did!”

His expression doesn’t change.

“Was I wrong to love you?! Was I wrong to trust you?! Did you first visit me- did you get close to me for the sake of your role as a spy?!” You continue to shriek at him, pounding your balled up fists against his chest in anger. Perhaps people could hear you from outside, though Ace probably had taken care of that considering how prepared he was for all of this. 

“You were wrong of course. If you didn’t, then perhaps we wouldn’t have to suffer like this. If you didn’t trust me, we wouldn’t have gotten close. If we weren’t close… perhaps I wouldn’t be doing my role as well as I am now. You were naive, Prefect, a fool who fell in love with a liar.” Ace answers as he looks at you with serious eyes.

_There it is._

_The truth._

Yet you aren’t as hurt as you thought you would be, like some part of you had already expected this answer this turn of events. It felt like he expected or wanted you to hate him for it so he could cut his ties with you, if that was the case, then you wouldn’t give him what he wanted. That’s not what _you_ wanted.

You wipe away your tears. “Then let me be wrong and so naive, let me be the fool,” you reply, “Because even if all those times we spent together were lies. E-even if they mean nothing to you… I will continue to cherish the time we have spent together. Those emotions I felt at that time, those smiles I gave you, they weren’t lies, my affection wasn’t and never will be a lie.” You resolutely proclaim as you stare into his ruby red eyes awaiting his response. Perhaps a minute passes, and yet you two remain staring at each other as you watch Ace’s facade slowly crumble, his shoulders deflate, any sense of mockery and arrogance gone. Ace’s lips twist into a wry smile and he lets out a small, broken laugh.

“Haha… What must I do to make you understand? How far do I have to go to make you hate me? I must be insane… No matter what happens, you’ll always forgive and forget, won’t you? In the end… I still can’t bring myself to…” He mutters just loud enough for you to hear. He looks so defeated; he was never really a passionate person unless under certain circumstances in the first place, but seeing him look so unmotivated, so wrecked, it hurts you. You slowly move your arms around him and return the embrace as you gently pat his back. Ace stiffens for a moment before slowly relaxing in your embrace, he leaves his magic pen in his blazer pocket to instead gently place his ungloved hand on the back of your head to pull you closer to him.

“There, there…” You whisper as you gently comfort him. You reach your hand into your pocket, pulling out the lemon candy he had given you before taking his hand and tenderly placing it on his hand. “I think you need this more than I do,” you assured, glancing at him with a small smile. He looked like he needed more support than you did. You would scold him, get angry at him more later, you needed to make sure he is okay first. Does that make you a fool? Even after that terrifying experience and betrayal, you still put him before yourself? Perhaps you’ll regret it someday, still, for now, you let yourself bathe in your naive ideals. You’re not like Ace whose selfishness and arrogance at times know no bounds, perhaps you’ll try to be a bit more selfish next time. Ace slightly blushes upon your offer and turns away from you in an effort to hide it. Yet he takes the candy and unwraps it before casually popping it into his mouth.

“...Thank you…” He mumbles as he covers his face with his hand. Somehow, seeing him all embarrassed now has made you feel better, so you softly smile back at him. Another awkward moment of silence ensues, unsure of what to do you glance around the room. To your relief, the room has gone back to normal and you realize that in fact, you did not run towards the door in the last-minute desperation, but right back to where Ace was originally standing. You look at the clock to see that little over 25 minutes has passed since Ace first brought you to his room. 

Has that much time really passed? Turning back to Ace, it appears like he has calmed down, however, he doesn’t let you go and instead keeps you close to him. Has he always been this affectionate? You aren’t sure, it feels like he has, yet at the same time, you couldn’t remember any moment where he would hold you like this. Though now that he has calmed down, this was probably your best time to get answers.

“Hey, Ace.”

“Yeah?”

“What was that? What is “Joker”?” You question with pleading eyes, you glance at his magic pen to see some blot built up on it. It isn’t much, still, that almost definitely confirms that whatever he did, it was magic. Though, you don’t remember learning about any spell or magic like that in class. Turning your attention back at him, he looks reluctant to tell you yet gives in to your plea in the end.

“My unique magic,” he responds absently. You want to ask more about it, but the look in his eyes gives you the impression that he isn’t willing to tell you more no matter what you do. If he’s not going to tell you, you would just have to figure it out once you get back to Ramshackle dorm, after all, you’re not sure for how long he will be willing to answer your questions and you still have the problem of how you would get out of this mess.

You take a deep breath. “Why did you betray us?” You ask, it hurts you to say it so blatantly, though there was nothing else you can do. Ace seems to have an easier time answering this question as a reminisce of some kind of smile returns to his face.

“To get ahead, to guarantee myself a good future, of course. At the end of the day, we only get to live so long right, Prefect? It’s better to use that time efficiently, don’t you think? I’m doing just that, I’m being efficient. As long as I do my job, I don’t have to worry about the future. I can make sure I’m able to take care of my family. It’s not the kind of opportunity you just ignore, y’know? After all, my brother was successful and was rewarded for it, it’s not that hard… I was told since I was a child that I was fated to go to NRC, I even tested that out, I stopped trying in school that hard, yet here I am. This is what I’m meant to do, my role… it’s selfish, but it’s the-”

_~~only~~ _

“-best option I have.” He rambles arduously. He sounds so sure, so confident, yet what's reflected in his eyes implies to you he’s more so trying to convince himself than to persuade you. “That’s why even if you plead, Prefect. I can’t stop now. I-”

_~~don’t want to admit that I don’t want this. That I’ve wasted my life.~~ _

__

__

__“-can’t throw this all away. I-” He fervently continues until you place a hand on his cheek to signal to him to stop. He looks down at you in confusion as to why you’ve stopped him; you only shake your head in response. Soon, he tilts his head to your palm and places his hand over yours, closing his eyes and relishing your touch as if it would be the last time you comfort him. “It’s… It’s always you who is suspicious of me… Why did it have to be you... When I loved you too…” He laments as he opens his eyes, letting you go to gauge your reaction.

“Are you lying to me, Ace?” You inquire, it hurts you to doubt him, to say that after what he has said. However, Ace is always the one to say things with serious tones and yet not mean a single thing. If he was just lying to use you now, not even you would be able to forgive that. Ace, on the other hand, seems surprised by your accusation before he bitterly laughs.

“Haha, I guess that’s what I deserve, but-” He gently takes your hand and brings it to his face before gently kissing the back of your hand, his dark ruby eyes glimmering affectionately.

“-It’s not a lie.”

“My feelings for you, they aren’t lies. They are the one thing I can assure you is true about me,” he proclaims resolutely before he peppers your hand with soft kisses. “So-”

“- _Choose me, not them._ ” 

You’re left astounded by what has happened, your face burns a cherry red, your mind is a mess of thoughts, and your heart perhaps is beating so loud that Ace could hear. You want to scream so badly about what had just occurred to you, about Ace and his way with words and actions. _Are you seriously going to start dating a traitor? That was a confession and you were just asked out, right?_ In your emotional stupor all, you could mumble out was,

“...Them…? You mean…?”

The bewilderment on Ace’s face stabs into you like knives as he explains, “Deuce, Azul, Idia, all those other boys who have an eye on you. Everyone likes you to an extent, Prefect. Do you not realize how they treat you differently? How Riddle always invites you to the unbirthday parties and tea parties? How Jamil is always willing to help you out or cook for you? How Malleus is so fond of you?” Ace asks with an annoyed pout as he glares at the pendant hanging around your neck.

“Eh…?” You stammer as you begin to think, did they really treat you that differently? You assumed the treatment was due to your role in helping them out with their problems, but do they really _like_ you in that way? There is no way, right? You aren’t _dense_! You were so caught up in investigating Ace as well as sorting out your emotions with Ace that you just didn’t notice, that’s all! You hope that none of them casually confessed to you while you were still unaware, causing you to inadvertently brush them off. _Oh gosh-_ your thoughts are interrupted by Ace squeezing your hand to catch your attention.

“I’m not willing to share, Prefect,” he warns as his eyes darken and narrow, “So don’t even bother thinking about it.” He finishes as he waits for your response. _Ah, was he jealous about all that?_ You can’t help but let out a small giggle at his jealousy. 

“As if you’re in a position to argue, you’re the one who betrayed me,” you point out with a grin. Ace looks to the ground in response with the look of a child who’s been denied a new toy or candy. Perhaps this is the best time to get back at him for what he has done to you. Maybe see how many buttons you could press before he snaps at you? Maybe that isn’t entirely a good idea, still, you definitely are gonna get back at him; like it or not. “Hmm… I don’t know Ace, why should I choose you, after everything you’ve done?” You question as you tug on his tie down to get his attention. Taken back by your sudden action, Ace nearly loses his balance, but quickly reacts to stop himself, his lips brushing past your ears as he whispers,

“ _Because_ _I will make you happy for the rest of your life._ ” 

“Surely, the others could probably do the same, right?” You tease in an attempt to ward off the blush creeping on your cheeks. “For example, Deuce would definitely work hard to make me happy right? Azul and Jamil too, they’re all very hard workers, don’t you agree? What makes you so special?” You continue teasing him. Ace’s original jealous scowl returns to his face upon hearing that and cups your cheeks in his hands, crashing his lips against yours in a passionate, but possessive kiss; as if aiming to steal your breath away. The strong though pleasantly sweet taste of lemon permeating through the kiss. Eventually after running out of breath, Ace finally breaks away with a cocky grin. 

"Well, I bet they can't kiss you like that." He smirks as he ruffles your hair. You wipe off the saliva left around your mouth with a defeated smile and red face. 

"Who knows… Though a-alright Ace, you win, I choose you." You sigh as you watch his face light up with glee. Deep down you knew you would choose Ace anyways, though at the same time you can't help but feel an odd sense of deja vu. 

"Yay~!" Ace cheers with childlike innocence as he abruptly picks you up and sets you down on his bed before sitting down beside you. "Your legs are probably tired after all of that, right, Prefect? You've still got that cut on your leg too, let's rest a little before I go back to finish painting the roses. Heck, you should help me, Prefect!" He cheerfully grins.

"I'm not helping you paint the flowers, that’s your job, not mine. Crowley already gives me enough work as is," you complain, from the corner of your eyes you see Ace examining the blot on his magic pen. You're reminded of his explanations for his betrayal, the way he appeared to be trying to convince himself. "...Hey Ace, are you sure you're okay with this? With how things are? How can you even be sure that I won't expose you?" You ask, worry reflecting in your eyes. It's clear to see that Ace's mood drops upon your hearing questions, but he smiles anyway. 

"Turn on your phone and give it to me for a sec," he orders. You do as you're told and watch unsurprised when he deletes the evidence you’ve caught with your phone, even quickly finding any plans you've typed down and deleting them. After thoroughly clearing your phone of anything that could bring him under suspicion, he hands it back to you. "There, now there's nothing to worry about." He assures with a strained smile.

"Ace, it's not good to lie to yourself, to bottle things up and let them eat away at you," you advise as you place your hand on his. "I'm here if you need someone to talk to, okay?" You comfort him. Ace laughs,

"It's alright Prefect, don't worry about me. It just gets a little lonely sometimes, being unable to talk to anyone here about this kind of stuff, y'know? It's fine though, I've lasted this long already! I've been fine… After all, I finally got to confess to you! You'll fill this hole in my heart riiight~?" He teases with a grin, however, his voice is void of any cheer or joy and you aren't having any of it. Putting down your phone, you pull him into another hug. 

"It's okay. You don't have to lie to me, to yourself, to remain ignorant," you whisper. Ace doesn't protest and slowly hugs you back, burying his face in the crook of your neck. The silence that enveloped the room was calming and comforting and is soon interrupted by Ace's soft voice.

"...This is out of the blue, isn’t it, Prefect? Still, just listen, don’t say anything, please…” He pauses and takes a deep breath. “I don't want to do this anymore, Prefect... but… my family… What can I even do at this point…? I… I don't know what to do anymore… with my life, my relationships, school- I'm lost Prefect. I-"

"- _I don't know what to do with you anymore…"_ He chokes out, hugging you tighter.

Tenderly rubbing his back to comfort him, you allow your presence to be the one doing the talking. You understand a little bit of the struggle he’s going through, after all, you yourself are at a loss with what to do with your life. What if you never make it home? What could you do in Twisted Wonderland? Where would you fit in? For what reason were you brought here? You’ve probably thought about that at least once a week, though right now you need to comfort Ace. After some time you feel as if he feels better and loosen your hug to look at him.

“...Thank you… Thank you, Prefect...” Ace looks at you with a small, but genuinely relieved smile. 

“ _And I’m sorry._ ”

“ _I’ve made up my mind long ago.”_

You feel the tip of a magic pen touch the bottom of your chin. You freeze as you glance down to see Ace’s magic pen pointed up under your chin. 

“W-what?” You stutter in your shock. “Ace, what are you doing?” You ask, your shaky tone is accompanied by widened eyes. You let go of him and try to move only for him to grab both your hands and restrain them using the ribbon part of his uniform. 

“...This is the only way I can truly protect you and keep you happy, Prefect. The only way I can make up for my betrayal,” He reasons, a look of guilt and sadness on his face.

“What are you talking about, Ace?! Ace! Please don’t do this!” You beg you don’t even know what he is going to do, or what has led to this. Have you said something wrong? Have you done something wrong? How could it have come to this?!

“You don’t have to forgive me, Prefect, but know that if I don’t do this, someone will surely come for your life if it gets out. If I don’t do this, you’ll have to carry the burden of this secret with me for as long as you remain at NRC. If I don’t do this, you will fall with me if I fail. I don’t want that,” he explains as he struggles to keep up a strong facade. “ I… I want you to be happy, Prefect. This is my burden, not yours. You can’t be happy knowing you love a traitor, right? Choosing between me or everyone else. I’m sorry for being selfish before… but to hear you choose me. I’m glad…” He admits as his hand holding his magic pen begins to shake. 

“So… Forget today, Prefect. Forget that I’m a traitor, that I love you, just forget everything. Forget about trying to find out the truth… And if you can, please forget that you’ve ever loved me. Just live out the rest of your time here at NRC in ignorance. I’m willing to go back to being just a friend if that means you don’t have to worry. If it makes it so that you don’t get caught up in this mess anymore... then next time I’ll make sure that I-” He leans in with a bitter smile and-

“-play the villain.” 

\- kisses you one last time.

It was a soft and gentle kiss.

You feel your consciousness begin to fade as Ace casts the spell.

Ace breaks away and the last thing you see is his sad smile.

The remnant taste of the lemon flavour candy in your mouth turns painfully sour.

You wake up with a throbbing headache. Upon glancing around, you see the familiar pleasant scenery of the Ramshackle dorm.

“You’re finally awake!” You hear Grim say as he waves his paws in front of you. You groggily sit up, causing the bed to creak. Rubbing your eyes, you look around again.

“What happened?” You mumble as your eyes adjust fully to the light within the room, it is bright and getting warmer outside, after all, summer is approaching. 

“Huh? You don’t remember? Oh, I guess Ace did say you might have forgotten things, you poor henchmen! Yesterday, you went to Heartslabyul for some reason and then you somehow tripped or something and hit your head and cut your leg! Ace found you while painting the roses and brought you to the infirmary and all,” Grim explains as he stands on your bed. You hit your head? You reach up to your head and feel some bandages wrapped around it. Glancing at your leg, you also notice some bandages are wrapped around it. Did the nurse do this? You suppose it only makes sense if they did. 

_Wait_ , _yesterday?_ You were knocked out for a whole day?

“I was unconscious for the whole day?” You ask, but Grim merely shrugs. 

“Fgnaaa! I dunno! Ace brought you back to the dorm sometime in the afternoon, so not really! Anyways, why did you even go there in the first place?" Grim asks as he opens a can of tuna to eat. You stop to think about why you went to Heartslabyul yesterday, but nothing comes to mind. You can't think of any reason why you wanted to go there. You can't even remember what happened yesterday.

"I don't remember," you admit with a sigh. 

"You must have hit your head really hard! If I was there, I surely could have saved you, henchmen! However, don't worry! Today the Great Grim will help you, in exchange for more tuna cans!" Grim proudly proclaims. "Now get dressed already! We have class today and the Great Grim can't be late!" He orders. As you get up to get ready you feel something in your pocket, upon checking it you pull out a cherry candy.

“Another cherry candy…” You mumble to yourself as you glance over at your box of cherry candies.

After getting dressed and eating breakfast, you bid farewell to the ghosts and head to school with Grim. By the path from the Hall of Mirrors, you meet up with Ace and Deuce.

"Yo! Morning, Prefect!" Ace greets you with his usual mischievous grin.

"Good morning, Prefect. Are you alright? I heard you hit your head pretty hard yesterday," Deuce asks with a look of concern on his face as he looks at your injuries. 

"I'm fine, thank you," you assure him, knowing Deuce, he would fret if he knew that you couldn't remember anything that happened yesterday. It would be better to just avoid telling him for now. 

"Man, Prefect. You really scared me there when I found you unconscious on the ground! I thought you died for a second! Hell! I cut my cheek a bit on a stupid rose bush too while helping you up," Ace complains before ruffling your hair a bit until his wrist is grabbed by Deuce. Now that he mentions it, Ace does have a small bandage on his cheek.

"Don't touch Prefect's hair like that, they injured their head. You're only gonna ruin the bandages or make it worse like that," Deuce warns with a stern look. Ace merely sticks his tongue out at Deuce and yanks his hand away. You sigh, these two idiots are always fighting, aren't they? You can't even choose a side between them honestly. They’re both important to you, so choosing between them is not an option. "Anyways, was there something you needed at Heartslabyul, Prefect?" Deuce asks as you all continue to walk to school.

"Ah, no. Don't worry about it. It's not important, I even forgot why I went there because of it," you joke, but you only receive concerned looks from Ace and Deuce in return.

"You really are an airhead aren't you, Prefect?" Ace taunts with a smirk

"You have to be more careful, okay Prefect?" Deuce replies. "If you remember later, just ask me, I'll help you out." He offers.

"Oh, I'll help out too!" Ace chimes in. "After all, we don't want poor Prefect getting injured again~" He teases. You pout in annoyance at Ace's belittlement. 

Deuce casually hits Ace in the head for his comment."Look what you've done Ace, you've angered Prefect." Deuce sighs.

"Ace is always annoying and angering everyone!" Grim adds on as he grins mockingly at Ace, who glares back at him before turning back to you.

"Oww... Sorry, Prefect. I didn't mean it y'know?" Ace quickly apologizes, before pausing to think. A smile appears on his face as he holds his hand out in a closed fist towards you. "Tada~! To cheer you up and as an apology!" He exclaims before opening his fist to reveal a lemon candy inside. 

"Ah, thank you Ace, but it's fine. _I don't like lemon candies_ ," you assure as you politely decline the offer.

"Eh? Really? Why is that?" Ace questions.

"I don't know. I just don't like them. I don't like how sour they are," you try to offer an explanation, though there really is no way to describe why you don't like them. "Sorry again," you apologize, but Ace only smiles in response,

”Ah, I thought this might happen, don’t worry. I brought more!” He cheerfully states as he digs his hand into his pocket pulling out a few more candies to offer you.

“I want one! I want one!” Grim exclaimed before Ace flicked a candy at him which hit him square in the forehead. “Ow! How dare you!!!” Grim yells.

“Oh, sorry! I thought someone as great as Grim would catch it~” Ace mocks with a smirk as Grim fumes.

Deuce stares perplexed at the candies in Ace’s hand, “Where do you even hide all your candies anyways, Ace? If Dorm Leader Riddle finds out, it would be ‘Off with your Head’ don’t you know?” Deuce sighs. “That’s a secret of course!” Ace smugly grins before tossing Deuce a candy; which he promptly catches. 

“Oh! This candy tastes sweet! Like- like- Green apple!” Grim exclaimed after popping the candy into his mouth as he danced around your feet.

“That’s because it’s green apple flavour, Grim,” Deuce remarks before checking his watch. “Shoot! We’re gonna be late if we don’t hurry up! Come on you three!” Deuce exclaims before quickly picking up his pace,

“Let’s go, human!” Grim called before running on ahead with Deuce.

“Pfft, I can’t believe he hasn’t noticed I changed the time on his watch.” Ace laughs to himself before turning his attention to you again. “Don’t worry about being late. Here, choose any of the candies left, Prefect!” He offers, holding his hand out to you. You glance at the options before shaking your head.

“No it’s okay, I don’t really like those ones either.” You reassure him with a polite smile.

Ace looks at you in surprise. “Not even the cherry one?” He asks as he points out the cherry candy in his hand to make sure you saw it. 

“Well, your favourite is the cherry one, isn’t it? You can have it instead, I already have one from this morning.” You answer, pulling out the said candy you had found this morning from your pocket to show him. “I occasionally find cherry candies in my pockets and with my belongings... I have a small box of them, actually… I don’t remember telling anyone that they were my favourite, so seeing someone keep giving me them is sweet. Do you think it’s some kind of love confession from someone?” You ask innocently, your eyes sparkling like gems.

Ace appears to pauses for a moment as his eyes widen a bit, before recollecting himself,

”...Who knows?” Ace softly states as he seems to sadly smile at you.

_You can’t help but feel like you’ve seen that smile before._

_..._

_'I've thought of this countless times before.'_

_'If I erase your memories- can we be together?'_

_'...But on second thought, I know it's impossible.'_

_'Everything we had, cherished and loved.'_

_'Will nothing- not even one thing remain?'_

_'Even if you never look my way.'_

_'Even if you never remember your love.'_

_'I wish the taste of this candy would be left behind.'_


	2. Bonus Chapter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The letter's words are scrambled up on purpose!

_rDea reftPce._

_Uyo amy veenr ese iths, ubt elt em rteiw shti eon trgree seagems._

_'mI yorsr I cdvieede uoy._

_mI' oyrsr I untc'odl eltl oyu._

_shTi odbn iwll lnylo turh tobh fo su._

_t'nDo aemk em ysa obyodge gnaia._

_...sleaPe otd'n egorft I-_

The sound of the pen comes to a stop. The redhead lets out a heavy sigh before looking over the letter. 

“Ugh… I can’t do it after all…” Ace groans as he shreds up the letter, allowing some flames from his magic pen to turn the remains to ash. After disposing of the ashes, he leans on the backrest of his chair. Basketball practice had ended early today so Ace was left alone in the dorm room while his roommates had their own club activities. His eyes fall on the now clean tie that laid on his desk; he would have to return it somehow without you noticing tomorrow. He grimaces, suddenly reminded of yesterday’s events. 

Covering his face with one hand he lets out a chuckle, “I haven’t gone batshit crazy have I? Trying to write a stupid letter… Prefect has already forgotten- what’s the point?” He mutters to himself. “...At least, this will be the last time- I can’t stand it anymore…” He adds on.

After a moment to think, Ace begins to laugh to himself. “I can’t believe it…! After all those times only now do I finally decide to end it? Hahaha… I’ve really gone insane haven’t I?” He cackles before stopping himself and facepalming. “Ugh… Every single time I think about it. Dammit, I have to do a better job of keeping myself together, even talking to myself like this...” The redhead sighs before opening one of her drawers to take out a candy. 

_A cherry candy._

He stares at the candy in his hand for a minute as he is reminded of your comments this morning.

“A love confession huh…?” he absently mumbles as he opens the candy and pops it into his mouth.

"I guess that's not too far off the mark." 

He closes his eyes.

“ _If only our love was this sweet._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very much for reading!   
> And thank you Momo for beta reading again!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you very much for reading!
> 
> I hope you were able to notice the twist(?)/extra story plot? Sorry, I'm not quite sure what to call it XD  
> I will post an additional short message/chapter on the 27th!


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